A Kelowna family saw an aircraft they could not identify hovering over Orchard Park mall Friday night.

The family were headed west on highway 97 at around 11:45 p.m. when they spotted what they initially thought was a helicopter hovering above the mall. As they got closer, however, it didn't appear or behave like a helicopter or any other airplane.

The craft was described as being shaped like a stingray, was a dark grey color and had 3 or 4 steady white lights.

"It began to slowly head east, parallel to the ground," said one witness, who wishes to remain anonymous.

"It just took off into the sky with a rate of acceleration that we had never seen before and was gone."

No sounds were heard.

NavCanada have confirmed that no aircraft were over Kelowna airspace at that time, with that trajectory.